Container



D. BELCHER CONTAINER Sept. 6, 1938.

Filed Dec. 19, 1955 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 6,

UNITED STATES CONTAINER Daniel Belclier, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Bemis Bro. Bag 60., Minneapolis, Minn., a. corporation of Missouri Application December 19, 1935, Serial No. 55,246

7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in containers, and moreparticularly to flexible walled containers such as paper bags, adapted to contain a finely ground or pulverized material as, for example, flour, and various other articles.

Since the advent of Cellophane, a great many food articles are now wrapped or packed with this material, primarily, because it greatly 1o enhances the appearance of the package, and, furthermore, because it is very inexpensive. There is one objection, however, to the use of Cellophane for certain purposes, and that is, it has a tendency to become more or less brittle from age, after which it readily cracks and thereby loses its usefulness, particularly when the Cellophane itself provides the walls of the container. The inherent nature of the material is also such that adhesives and gums do not readily penetrate the surface thereof, whereby ordinary adhesives and gums cannot readily be used to secure the folded walls thereof in closing relation, because it requires too long a time for the adhesive to set sufficiently to permit the package to be handled without danger of the gummed walls thereof becoming unfastened or opening.

In the present invention, I propose to use the "Cellophane" or other similar material in connection with a conventional container or paper bag, whereby it provides only an outer enclosin member therefor, and does not become a struc-.

tural part of the bag itself. By thus enclosing the package in Cellophane" greatly improves its appearance, andalso renders it less subject to at- 5 tracting dust and other foreign matter, when handled. The Cellophane enclosing member is desirably applied to the tube from which the bag body is formed before the bottom of the bag is constructed, and the bag bottom is then formed 40 in the usual manner, after which the bag is completed to receive the material to be packed therein.

'An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a container or paper bag having 45 an outer enclosing member of Cellophane secured thereto, whereby when the bag has been filled and sealed, it will have the appearance of being wrapped in Cellophane. V

A further object is to provide a paper bag 50 having its body portion enclosed in an outer member of Cellophane" or a similar material, the primary function of which is to give the sealed package or container the appearance of being wrapped in Cellophane", and wherein the 55 strength of the package or bag is not impaired as the Cellophane" preferably does not, in any way, constitute a structural part of the bag body. Otherobjects of the invention reside in the particular manner in which theouter "Cellophane enclosing member is applied to the tube 5 from which the bag is constructed, whereby the operation of constructing the bag bottom may be performed on a bottoming machine in the usual manner; in the relative sizes of the outer enclosing member and the inner member, where- 10 by the upper edge or top of the outer member terminates short of the upper portion of the inner member, thereby to facilitate securing the bag top walls in sealing relation by a suitable adimproved, and whereby the package may also be rendered more or less water-proof.

Other objects of the invention will appear from 25 the following description and accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing there has disclosed a structure designed to carry out the 30 various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a view showing a bag tube with the outer enclosing member-applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the bag with its bottom completed; 40

Figure 3 is a perspective view, showing the bag opened for filling;

Figure 4 is a view of the upper portion of a filled bag showing the bag top walls partially folded to close the bagltop; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a sealed bag;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1, but wherein the printed material is applied directly to the "Cellophane" or outer enclosing member andnot directly upon the paper bag;

Figure 7 is a view showing a slightly modified construction wherein the lower portion of the outer enclosing member is provided with means for completely concealing the bag bottom;

. pletely concealed by the outer enclosing member.

In the selected embodiment ,of the invention here shown, there is illustrated in Figure 1, for purposes of disclosure, a bag generally indicated by the numeral 2, shown having its lower end slitted as at 3 in the usual manner to permit folding the lower wall portions thereof, as shown in Figure 2, to constructthe bottom I of the bag.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the unique construction of the bag body which, as shown in the drawing, is provided with an outer enclosing member, generally indicated by the numeral 5. This covering member is of a suitable material such as Cellophane, which preferably is transparent so that the printed matter, indicated by the numeral 6, which usually is applied directly to the walls of the bag body, may be clearly seen through the outer enclosing member.

The lower edge I of the outer enclosing mem ber 5 preferably terminates short of the lower edge 8 of the bag blank 2, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, whereby the lower portions of the bag tube walls are folded into closing relation, and certain portions of said walls will directly contact other portions of said walls whereby they may readily be secured together in sealing relation with ordinary adhesives or gums. The lower portion of the enclosing member 5 is preferably secured to the bag tube by a suitable adhesive, indicated at 9 in Figure 1, and the lower edge 1 of the covering member 5 is preferably so spaced from the lower edge 8 of the bag tube, that when the bottom is formed, the lower edge portion of the Cellophane will constitute, in effect, a portion of the bag bottom, as will be readily understood by reference to Figure 2.

The upper edge I I of the outer enclosing member 5 also preferably terminates short of the upper edge I! of the bag top to' permit portions of the bag top walls to be folded into direct contact with one another to facilitate securing them together in sealing relation by a suitable adhesive or gum.

A notch l3, preferably V-shaped, may be provided in the upper edge I I of the enclosing member 5. This notch will appear as shown in Figure 4, when thebag top walls are partially folded into closing relation. In Figure 4, it will be noted that the end walls II and i5 of the bag top have been folded inwardly, one over the other, whereby flaps l6 and I! are formed in the upper portions of the front and rear walls I0 and 20, respectively. Because of the V-shaped notch -.l3 provided in the upper edge of the enclosing member 5, the terminal of the flap i6 is exposed, as shown at l8 in Figure 4, which permitsthe terminal I9 of the flap H to be folded over the terminal l8 of the flap IS in direct contact therewith. Before the flap i1 is folded over the bag top, a suitable gum is applied to the ,inner surface thereof, as indicated at 2| in Figure 4, which secures the flap I! to the previously folded bag top walls, as shown in Figure 5.

The upper edge portion of the outer enclosing member 5 is also preferably secured to the walls of the bag top by a suitable gum,as indicated at ber 5 is provided at its upper end adjacent to the rear wall 20'with an upstanding portion 23, preferably triangular in shape, whereby its shape will conform substantially to the pointed terminal ll! of the flap ll of the rear wall. The triangular portion 23 conceals the tip IQ of the flap I! when the bag top is completely closed, whereby none of the wall surfaces of the bag top walls are exposed, as is shown at A in Figure 5.

The front side of the Cellophane enclosing member 5 may also be provided with a depending portion 24, as best illustrated in Figure 7, the width of which is substantially equal to the spacing between the slits 33 in the lower portion of the blank or tube 2. In Figures 7 and 8, it will also be noted that the lower marginal edge 25 of the enclosing member 5 is spaced relatively closer to the lower edge 8 of the tube.

2 than it is in the forms shown in the previous figures. By constructing the lower portion of the enclosing member 5 as shown in Figure 7, when the bottom of the bag is formed, the lower edges of the enclosing member 5 will be completely concealed, as best shown in Figure 9, wherein it will be noted that the paper or material of the bag proper, which constitutes the bot-- tom 4 of the bag, will be completely concealed by the Cellophane" enclosing member.

The triangular portion 23 and also the depending portion 24 of the outer enclosing member 5 are suitably secured to the adjacent surfaces of the bag tube or blank, as indicated at 26 and 21, in Figures '7 and 8, respectively. Thus, by constructing or shaping the outer Cellophane enclosing member 5, as shown in Figures 7, Brand 9, the entire surface of the bag proper will be concealed or enclosed within the Cellophane wrapper, and the completed sealed bag-will have the appearance of being wrapped in Cellophane in. the usual manner. I In the description of the invention, I have referred to the outer enclosing member as being constructed of Cellophane." It is to be understood, however, that any other material of a similar character may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. The important feature of the invention, as previously stated, resides in fitting a ,Cellophane" enclosing member over the bag body before forming the bottom thereof, whereby when the bag is filled and the top thereof is closed and sealed, the bag body will be enclosed in Cellophane without necessitating any additional packaging operations, as when the Cellophane is applied to the bag body after the bag .has been filled and sealed.

Also, by applying the Cellophane" to the bag blank or tube, as herein set forth, the sealed bag may be enclosed in a Cellophane wrapper without materially increasing the packaging cost.

- The outer enclosing member 5 is preferably secured to thebag tube at its upper and lower portions only, as illustrated in the drawing, whereby the Cellophane", when the bag has been filled and sealed, will have the appearance of being wrapped around the body of the bag in the usual manner. In other words, the Cellophane" will not be secured to the entire outer surface of the bag body, as it would be in a bag constructed of laminated material, comprising an outer layer of transparent material, such as "Cellophane. It is to be understood, however, that the particular tube may be varied, as desired, without, departing from the scope'of the invention. 1

In some instances, it may be found desirable to manner of securing the Cellophane to the bag a apply the printed matter, to appear on the bag, directly to the outer Cellophane? enclosing member, as illustrated at 28 in Figure 6. However, because of the transparent nature of the Cellophane, the printed matter may be applied either directly to the bag body, or to the Cellophane, without changing the appearance of the. completed package.

I claim as my invention:

1. A paper bag having an outer enclosing member of Cellophane secured thereto, the upper edge of which terminates shortof the upper edge of the bag top, whereby portions of the bag top walls may be folded into direct contact with one another to facilitate sealing thebag mouth.

2. A paper bag having an outer enclosing member of Cellophane fitted thereover and suitably secured thereto, the lower portion of said enclosing member terminating short of the bottom edge of the tube from which the bag is formed, whereby the lower edge portions of the tube may be folded into direct contact with one another to facilitate constructing the bag bottom.

3. A paper bag having an outer enclosing member of Cellophane fitted thereover, the lower portion of which constitutes a portion of the ba bottom, and the upper portion of said enclosing member being" so arranged with respect to the bag top that portions of the bag top walls may be folded into direct contact with one another. to

facilitate closing and sealing the bag top.

4. A paper bag formed from a tube having a Cellophanewrapper fitted thereover, the lower portion of said-wrapper being arranged to fold simultaneously with the walls of the tube blank when constructing'the bottom of the bag, and the upper portion of said wrapper terminating short of the upper edge of the-bag top and having a notch therein exposing a portion of one of the walls of the bag top when said wall is folded into closing 'relat-ion, whereby an oppositely disposed wall portion may be folded into direct contact with said exposed wall and secured thereto by a suitable gum. I

5. A paper bag formed from a tube having a Cellophane wrapper fitted thereover, the lower edge of which terminates short of the lower edge of the tube to facilitate constructing the bag bottomyand the upper portion of said wrapper terminating short of the upper edge of the bag top and having a V-shaped notch therein, said V- shaped notch exposing a portion of one of the walls of the bag top, when said wall is folded into closing relation, whereby an oppositely disposed wall portion may be folded into direct contact with said exposed wall and secured thereto by a suitable gum.

6. A paper bag formed from a tube having a "Cellophane wrapper fitted thereover, the lower edge of which terminates short of the lower edge of the tube to facilitate constructing the bag bottom, and the upper portion of said wrapper terminating short of the upper edge of the bag top and having a notch therein at one side of the ba and an upwardly extending projectionat the opposite side of the bag, and the lower edge of the wrapper having a depending portion, said up wardly extending and depending portions cooperating with the body of the wrapper to completely enclose the top and bottom of the bag, when the bag is closed and sealed.

'7. A container formed from a paper tube open at both ends, and having an outer transparent enclosing member of a cellulose, adhesive repellent material, such as Cellophane, suitably fitted thereover, the ends of said member terminating slightly inwardly of the ends of the tube blank, thereby to expose the opposite end portions of the tube, and whereby said exposed end portions may be gummed and folded into direct contact with one another to form the bottom of the container, 

